Civic Reflection: Town Meeting Day

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Civic Reflection: Town Meeting Day

Today is Town Meeting Day in Vermont. It’s a state holiday, so some workers (not all) have the day off to participate in, essentially, an annual meeting of their town. Some items of substance are discussed (budgets, elected officials) but many people describe it as a community-wide social activity.

I’m thinking about two things on this day. The first, that many formerly-elected officials (Al Gore, Evan Bayh) have said that the politic arena isn’t the place to get things done anymore.

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Concept2 Holiday Rowing Challenge: Complete!

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Concept2 Holiday Rowing Challenge: Complete!

Just a quick post here: I completed the Concept2 Holiday Rowing Challenge! I rowed 100,100 meters to be exact. It was not easy, but now it is done.

And I will not return to the gym until Monday!

The Concept2 Challenge

This Challenge has been great, though. If rowers make it past the 100,000 meter mark, Concept2 will make a donation to the Center for an Agricultural Economy here in Vermont. Mission accomplished.

Challenges like this keep my gym routine fresh, link me to a healthy community and push my capabilities and effort physically. I haven’t seen other gym equipment companies rally their users quite like this, but if they did, I’d be excited to participate.

 

Photo credit: Garage Gyms

Concept2 Holiday Rowing Challenge: 74,855 Meters Left

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Concept2 Holiday Rowing Challenge: 74,855 Meters Left

Last week I committed to the Concept2 Holiday Rowing Challenge. My goal is to row 100,000 meters between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m glad to report that I made it to the gym every day I needed to and that I’m totally on target!

There are two great things about this Challenge. The more personal is that it is really pushing me in my workouts. I’ve realized that my past visits to the gym, while regular, have not really extended my physical limitations. Being on the rowing machine and having a distance I need to row every day really makes me push my speed and time.

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How Small Non-Profits Can Find A Celebrity Spokesperson

Posted by On Filed under Doing Business Differently, Marketing
How Small Non-Profits Can Find A Celebrity Spokesperson

Fast Company magazine suggests enlisting a celebrity spokesperson for your charitable cause. The article offers valuable and interesting advice…if you have a multi-million dollar budget and friends in high places. That isn’t to say small non-profits don’t have friends in high places, but if you’re feeling awfully far from Hollywood, consider local celebrities.

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Concept2 Holiday Challenge – 100,000 meters to go!

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Concept2 Holiday Challenge – 100,000 meters to go!

Just as I was getting sick and tired of the elliptical machine, I found out about the Concept2 Holiday Challenge!  (Talk about good marketing – their message showed up in just the right physical, mental, and emotional space for me to hear it loud and clear.)

Between November 26th and December 24th, I’m going to attempt to row 100,000 meters on a Concept2 machine at First in Fitness in Montpelier. Every day that I row, I’ll log onto my free personal log book and try to rack up the meters. With my normal workout schedule, I’ll have to row about 5000 meters per session (I go to the gym 4-5 days per week). I’m definitely shooting for this goal and envisioning myself rowing, rowing, rowing, but those 100,000 meters are going to be quite a stretch for me!

But that’s the best part of a challenge, right?

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Marketing Basics: Simplify and Segment

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Marketing Basics: Simplify and Segment

I’m still totally enjoying the STAMATS SIMTech Conference. Day Two was jam packed with excellent speakers and valuable information.

First thing this morning, I had a one-on-one consultation with Julie Staggs, a STAMATS Senior Client Consultant. I was relieved to hear that my Goddard College colleagues and I are on the right track with our Communications Plan. We even included some components of communications that most colleges forget, so that was encouraging! Julie then helped me identify our next steps.

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The Clothes Make the Woman – Or Do They?

Posted by On Filed under Pause for Reflection
The Clothes Make the Woman – Or Do They?

Day Two of the Vermont Women in Higher Education Conference. I could definitely extend this experience into three or four days – the setting, the Lake Morey Resort, is wonderful!

I could write plenty about each workshop, presenter, meal, and conversation, but I would do better by diving deeper into one thread of a speech that is sticking in my craw.

A prominent speaker at the event – I won’t identify her because I don’t want to make this personal – said that we (“we” being women) need to always be aware of our appearance. I wondered: do the clothes make the woman?

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